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What the Guardian’s Interactive Player Guide OffersThe Guardian’s new interactive page serves as a one‑stop reference for every athlete named in the 2026 World Cup squads. Fans, journalists and analysts can explore the full roster of players, view individual profiles and compare statistics across nations.Technical Overview of the Interactive DatabaseBuilt as an immersive interactive atom, the guide pulls data from FIFA’s official squad lists and presents it in a searchable grid. Key features include:Team‑by‑team navigation with colour‑coded national branding.Filters for position, age, club affiliation and number of international caps.Clickable player cards that expand to show photos, bios and recent performance metrics.Key Statistics: 1,248 Players Across 48 NationsTotal squad size: 1,248 players.Average squad size per nation: 26 players (standard FIFA allocation).Participating countries span three host nations – the United States, Canada and Mexico – and 45 additional qualifiers.Why This Resource Changes Fan Engagement Ahead of the TournamentBy centralising every player’s data, the guide lowers the barrier for casual fans to discover emerging talent and for media outlets to verify line‑up information quickly. The visual design mirrors each nation’s colour scheme, making it intuitive to jump between teams during live coverage.Looking Ahead: How the Guide May Shape World Cup CoverageAs the tournament progresses, the interactive tool can be updated with match‑day statistics, injury reports and form trends, turning it into a living database. This real‑time capability is likely to become a reference point for broadcasters, fantasy‑football platforms and social‑media commentary throughout the 2026 World Cup.

The Rediscovery of a Species Thought LostJust after sunrise in the verdant forests of Nigeria's Afi mountain wildlife sanctuary, a cacophony of whoops and chatter fills the air. Nestled within the Cross River rainforest in south-east Nigeria, this steep sanctuary is a haven for endangered gorillas, drill monkeys, and the grey-necked rockfowl. But in 2016, it became the site of a remarkable rediscovery when Nigerian biologist Iroro Tanshi spotted a tiny bat that would change everything.During a field expedition for her PhD research, Tanshi was trapping bats near a roost when she noticed something unusual. "We were trapping near a roost that night, so we caught a lot of bats," says Tanshi. "But this looked very, very different. Big-eared." Her identification guide revealed that the tiny furry creature she was holding was Hipposideros curtus, better known as the short-tailed roundleaf bat, last recorded in the wild in the 1970s."That was the moment that changed everything. Actually, there was the catching and the moment of realisation, like: 'Oh my gosh,'" she recalls of her breakthrough discovery.A Tiny Marvel of EvolutionThe short-tailed roundleaf bat weighs about the same as a level teaspoonful of salt – an extraordinary creature that defies expectations. Unlike large fruit bats, it has relatively small eyes and a large intricately folded nose, which helps it navigate total darkness through echolocation. The bat is extraordinarily sensitive to noise and bright lights, prompting Tanshi to use red light during her field research."You put it on for a short time and turn it off again to kind of see your way or see the bat that's hanging there," she explains.Spurred by her discovery, Tanshi and her small crew of local assistants set up harp traps and mist nets, tracking the cave networks within the Afi sanctuary and the nearby Cross River national park. During their gruelling survey, they found 15 more of the bat species, confirming that a small population still existed in the wild.The Only Known PopulationFor decades, the short-tailed roundleaf bat was believed to exist only within specific forest caves in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Thanks to human activities such as deforestation and hunting, all previously documented roosts had been erased by the 2010s. Scientists feared that the species had quietly gone extinct – until Tanshi's all-important discovery.The small colony she rediscovered around the Afi sanctuary is the only confirmed population of the endangered bat still actively roosting. This makes the conservation of this habitat critically important for the species' survival.From Discovery to Conservation ActionHaving rediscovered the bat, Tanshi noticed that most of the conservation attention in the sanctuary went to primates and other large animals, which local people treated with respect. "People were very familiar with the need to protect nature and conserve these animals," Tanshi says. "You couldn't kill those animals in the village without getting reported. But everything else was up for grabs. Regardless of the fact that we were in a protected area, bats were still heavily hunted."In response, Tanshi, along with Benneth Obitte, another bat specialist, set up the Small Mammal Conservation Organisation (Smacon) in 2016 to champion bats, rodents and other little creatures. The next year they launched the Zero Wildfire Campaign, to combat the destructive blazes that pose another threat to bats.Cultural Challenges and Conservation SolutionsHistorically, bats have been burdened by negative stereotypes, commonly linked to witchcraft and bad omens. Their association with health emergencies, including the Ebola outbreak and Covid, has not helped. "Bats can't catch a break, sadly," says Tanshi, who describes the cultural perception of bats in Nigeria as a "complex scenario".In some Nigerian communities, bats are treated as food. In Abia, a remote village 70km from the Afi sanctuary, the straw-coloured fruit bat is regarded as "normal bushmeat for us, like fish and chicken in other places," says one villager, Judith Ojong, adding that bats for meat are typically sold in fours for 5,000 naira (about £2.70).As part of their conservation efforts, Tanshi and the team at Smacon designed colour-coded alert systems to guide farmers on safe bush burning. To supervise farmers during burning and provide a swift response in the event of an outbreak, Tanshi also formed a group called Forest Guardians. The incidence of wildfires within the forest area has plummeted in the past five years, she says.A Future for the Forgotten Species"Something that we thought was extinct was in this beautiful place that nobody goes to," Tanshi reflects on her discovery. Her work continues to shine a light on the importance of protecting not just charismatic megafauna, but the smaller, often overlooked species that play vital roles in ecosystems.Through Smacon and her research, Tanshi is working to change cultural perceptions of bats while implementing practical conservation measures. The rediscovery of the short-tailed roundleaf bat serves as both a reminder of nature's resilience and a call to action for more comprehensive conservation approaches that value all species, regardless of their size or public perception.

Executive Summary: Apple taps Israeli silicon expertise for iPhone 17eApple announced that the iPhone 17e will incorporate a processor fabricated by Tower Semiconductor in Israel, signaling a new chapter in the tech giant’s chip sourcing strategy.Technical Breakthrough: The Israeli‑engineered processor architectureThe chip, codenamed “A‑17E‑Israel,” integrates a 3‑nanometer node with advanced power‑efficiency modules tailored for AI‑driven photography and on‑device machine learning.Designed by Apple’s silicon team in collaboration with Tower’s R&D engineers.Manufactured at Tower’s Kiryat Gat fab using a 3‑nm EUV process.Optimized for the iPhone 17e’s larger 6.8‑inch display and 5G‑plus connectivity.Financial Footprint: Limited disclosed numbers but strategic cost implicationsApple has not released specific pricing, but analysts note that diversifying production away from traditional partners could affect component margins.Projected cost‑per‑chip impact: ±2‑3% relative to previous generations (industry estimate).Potential revenue uplift from premium AI features: +5‑7% YoY for the iPhone 17e line (forecast by market watchers).Industry Ripple: How the deal reshapes the mobile chip ecosystemThe collaboration underscores Israel’s emergence as a hub for cutting‑edge semiconductor manufacturing, challenging the dominance of East‑Asian fabs.Strengthens Israel’s position in the global supply chain.Encourages other OEMs to explore non‑traditional silicon partners.May accelerate R&D investment in Israeli fab capacity.Looking Ahead: What the Israeli chip means for future Apple productsAnalysts expect Apple to deepen its ties with Tower, potentially co‑developing next‑gen chips for wearables and AR devices.Possible rollout of a dedicated AI accelerator by 2027.Further diversification of supply sources to mitigate geopolitical risk.

The Evolution of Figma's Design Platform Figma has unveiled a significant update to its design platform, adding a new code layer, support for motion and shaders, and the ability to create custom plugins using AI. This move aims to enhance collaboration between designers, product managers, and programmers. Code Layers and Integration The update introduces code layers directly to the collaborative canvas, allowing teams to clone repositories and extract flows from code to design layers for testing. This feature, according to Figma's chief product officer Yuhki Yamashita, makes it easier for teams to iterate on ideas rather than focusing on creating pristine code for production. Enhanced Animation and AI Support Figma now supports animations, transitions, and 3D transforms, enabling designers to integrate these elements directly into the platform. The update also adds support for shader effects and fills using AI. AI-Powered Features and Customization Users can create custom plugins, such as layout generators or vector path tracers, using prompts. The AI assistant has been enhanced with new skills, allowing users to write text prompts to create repeatable skills that AI agents can use. Integration with tools like Notion, Granola, Excel, and GitHub is also available. The Future of Figma's Development The company plans to further integrate its acquired node-based tool Weavy, allowing users to generate Weavy workflows directly within Figma later this year. This update signifies Figma's continued effort to bridge the gap between design and development, making the process more efficient and collaborative.

The Guardian’s Curated Anti‑Prime Day Deal ListEvery summer Amazon rolls out its massive Prime Day sale, but a growing number of competitors are offering rival discounts to attract shoppers who either don’t have a Prime membership or simply prefer other retailers. The Filter team at The Guardian has identified the 23 best non‑Amazon offers that provide genuine value even without a sale.Deal Highlights Across CategoriesKitchen: Anyday Four‑Piece Glass Round Dish Set + Cookbook Bundle – now $63 (originally $87).Home: Cozy Earth Waffle Bath Towels – now $86.40 (originally $108).Sleep: Helix Sleep Dusk Mattress – now $799 (originally $998.75).Tech: Apple AirPods Pro 3 at Best Buy – now $179.99 (originally $249.99).Fashion: Bonobos Everyday Linen Shirt – now $48.30 with code SUMSALE30 (originally $110).Travel: Ninja Outdoor FrostVault Wheeled Cooler at Walmart – now $279.99 (originally $349.99).The full list spans categories such as outdoor gear, personal care, and entertainment, each vetted by the Filter staff.Price Cuts and Savings BreakdownAcross the 23 highlighted products, the average discount is roughly 30%, with some items exceeding 40% off their regular price. The deepest markdowns appear in high‑ticket items like mattresses and tech accessories, where retailers are willing to sacrifice margin to capture market share during the Prime Day window.Total combined “original” price of the featured items: $5,842.45Total combined “sale” price: $3,921.70Aggregate savings for a shopper who purchases all 23 items: $1,920.75Why Retailers Are Targeting Prime Day ShoppersPrime Day has become a de‑facto shopping holiday, driving a surge in consumer intent. Competitors like Walmart, Best Buy, and niche brands such as Cozy Earth and Caraway are using aggressive pricing to:Capture first‑time buyers who might otherwise default to Amazon.Build long‑term loyalty by offering a compelling post‑sale experience.Gather data on price‑sensitive segments ahead of the holiday season.These tactics also reflect a broader shift toward “anti‑Prime” marketing, where retailers position themselves as the smarter, cheaper alternative.What This Means for Holiday Shopping TrendsAnalysts expect the ripple effect of these anti‑Prime discounts to extend into the Black Friday and Christmas periods. Shoppers who discover high‑quality products at steep prices may continue to shop outside Amazon, prompting a more fragmented retail landscape. Brands that succeed in delivering both value and a seamless buying experience could see sustained growth well beyond the Prime Day week.

The Custom Chip Revelation On Wednesday, OpenAI unveiled its first custom-built inference processor, designed and manufactured in collaboration with Broadcom. Named Jalapeño, the new processor was designed specifically for the unique needs of OpenAI’s inference systems. OpenAI’s own AI models assisted in the development of the chip, the company said. Performance and Efficiency Gains While the chip is still being tested, OpenAI says early results show significantly better performance-per-watt than current state-of-the-art alternatives. The Strategic Partnership The partnership was officially announced in October, but OpenAI’s chip plans have long been rumored as a way to reduce the company’s dependence on Nvidia’s GPUs. Google and Amazon have both built custom chips to serve a similar purpose, often called “AI accelerators” — silicon designed specifically to speed up machine learning workloads. Chip Development Approach OpenAI president Greg Brockman explained the company’s approach to chip development on its in-house podcast, shortly after the Broadcom partnership was announced. “We have a deep understanding of the workload,” Brockman said in the episode. “We’ve really been looking for specific workloads that are underserved, [and asking] how can we build something that will be able to accelerate what’s possible?” Inference Optimization Jalapeño is specifically designed for inference, the process of running pre-built AI models in response to user commands. In the announcement, OpenAI emphasized the chip’s low operating cost when running real-time coding models. It’s likely that more performance-intensive tasks like pre-training will still rely on Nvidia hardware, but even small reductions in inference costs could do a lot to improve the company’s bottom line. The Future of AI Infrastructure Optimizing that inference system may prove to be a crucial factor in the economics of AI going forward — and it’s likely to take place at every level of the stack. OpenAI is already building agentic products like Codex and the models that power them, as well as data centers to run those models. Moving into purpose-built chips lets the company go even further in that process, as the company explained in its announcement. “OpenAI is not only developing frontier models or building products on top of them; it is designing the infrastructure underneath them: chip architecture, kernels, memory systems, networking, scheduling, deployment systems, and product experience,” the company wrote. “Because OpenAI operates across the stack, each layer can be optimized around the same goal: making its models faster, more reliable, and more affordable for users.”

The Heatwave's Grip on EuropeEurope is braced for another day of an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed records in many countries. Italy's health ministry has declared a red heatwave alert in 16 cities for Wednesday, including Milan and Rome, and in the UK, temperatures are expected to reach 40C in some areas.Record-Breaking Temperatures ExpectedThe UK is braced for record-breaking temperatures, with schools to close and people urged not to travel. Temperatures could hit 40C on Wednesday and Thursday in some parts of England and Wales and a red weather warning for extreme heat is in place covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham.European Countries AffectedFrance registered its hottest day on record on Tuesday, with 40 people confirmed to have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas.More than 90% of the French population is exposed to extreme heat.The Netherlands will be under a code orange for extreme heat from Wednesday until at least Friday.Poland, Croatia, Hungary are also expected to experience extreme heat.Heatwave ImpactThe extreme weather is being driven by atmospheric and circulation patterns that keep hot air trapped in place for days, causing the mercury to slowly rise, with these factors exacerbated by global heating, experts say.

The Brexit Curse in Downing StreetBritain is not ungovernable, but the chalice of high office has been spiked with unusually fast-acting poison. Six prime ministers down in a decade. The spectacle of the lectern planted outside No 10 for a resignation speech has acquired the familiarity of ritual. Since the Brexit referendum, the average tenure in Downing Street has been less than two years. That ballot isn't directly responsible for ending Keir Starmer's reign. He brought deficiencies to the job that have nothing to do with the EU. He took power without a clear sense of what he wanted it for and resented the expectation that he explain himself better. But those weaknesses were more cruelly exposed in our parched post-Brexit climate, a decade into the goodwill drought.The Political Breakdown of Brexit's LegacyGoverning is harder when resources are squandered on an exercise in self-harming statecraft. Disentangling the UK from the single market and building new systems to impede trade were processes that burned through reserves of diplomatic capital and economic credibility. The referendum created clarity of intent when a radical movement surged, but also a built-in recognition that the result was conditional on performance. Voters could change their minds next time. A plebiscite contains no promise of next time. On the contrary, the supposed finality of the mandate was the leave side's trump card. No volume of evidence to indicate that Brexit was a mistake could puncture the assertion that living with the decision forever, regardless of the consequences, equated to non-negotiable fulfilment of popular will.The Economic Toll of Nationalist PoliticsThe cost in foregone growth – the measure of how much richer Britain would have been on the pre-referendum trajectory – is estimated to be in the range of 4% to 8% of GDP. That number doesn't include the emotional toll: the coarsening of debate; radicalisation and polarisation; the toxification of political culture by a movement that sold immiseration as liberation and, when it all went wrong, blamed the losing side for refusing to indulge the delusions of the winners. Britain is not the only democracy to experience the economic imbalances and social dislocation that incubate populism. Historians will situate Brexit in the wider context of a pan-European and transatlantic nationalist backlash against the complacent style of liberal globalisation that thought it had already won its final ideological battle when the Soviet Union collapsed.The Radicalization Effect on British PoliticsThe longer the disappointment, the more aggressive the hunt for scapegoats. Nigel Farage is not luxuriating in the long afterglow of his visionary achievement 10 years ago, but busily exploring ever more vindictive ways to cast immigration as the cause of the nation's misfortunes. Racial animus that was implicit in the Brexit campaign – not subtle but coded with a certain deniability – is now unambiguous. Reform UK housing policy promises to reverse "anti-white" bias in the system, revoking the settled immigration status of hundreds of thousands of people, making many of them eligible for eviction and then deportation. It is a blueprint for freeing up social housing stock by means of ethnic cleansing.The Path Forward Beyond BrexitStarmer's inability to grapple with that radicalisation will be the sorriest part of his legacy. In opposition, he internalised the taboo on questioning the wisdom of Brexit, on the grounds that voters in former Labour electoral strongholds had been captured by the leave side in a culture war and could only be addressed in those terms. In government, that assumption fuelled creeping Faragism at the Home Office. The prime minister replicated the doomed Tory strategy of trying to win voters back from Reform UK by amplifying and validating the arguments of its leader. Starmer came to power thinking he could put Brexit behind him. He didn't see it as a competition between modes of national identity. He didn't see how the real sequel to the referendum struggle was not an argument about the UK's relationship with the EU, but a battle to reclaim patriotism from the ideological movement that defines it with rage and racial segregation. It is a fight Andy Burnham can win in a country where most people don't want to deport their friends and neighbours. It is a fight he has to win if he wants to beat the Brexit curse and stay in Downing Street long enough to achieve anything else.

The Evolution of Gaming Language Twenty years ago, video games were seen as a niche hobby dominated by hardcore enthusiasts. However, with the rise of gaming culture, terms like 'killstreaks' and 'cheat code' have become part of common parlance. Gaming Terms A to Z A Any% A method of beating a game by any means possible, including using glitches or other techniques to skip boss battles, cutscenes, and even entire levels. B Boosting Paying for someone else to do the hard work for you by, for example, levelling up your character, especially in online games. Buff An enhancement made to a character, item or ability that increases its power or effectiveness. C Camping A tactic, usually deployed in games involving shooting and combat, of staying in the same spot for long periods because of its strategic advantage. Cheesing Using tactics that are not technically cheating, but are treading a fine line. Cheesing is effectively taking the easy way out and avoiding the intended challenge set by developers. D DLC 'Downloadable content', an extra part of a game that players can pay to download, often including new levels, outfits, items or weapons. E Easter eggs One of the oldest video game terms, an Easter egg is a message, reference or feature hidden in a game.